1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to support devices and more particularly to the ladder support device.
2. Background of the Invention
Since primitive ladders were developed 10,000 years ago in the Mesolithic period, they have provided man to have the ability to reach heights previously unattainable. The development of modern ladders has been attributed to the Hebrews and Egyptians. Since their inception, ladders have been primarily used as a tool. As such, they are generally used in conjunction with another tool or tools to perform a particular job function.
The requirement to transport both a ladder and a tool or tools to a worksite presents a problem for the workman. The need for transporting multiple tools led to the development of many devices such as carts and wagons, and more particularly tool belts as is well known to those skilled in the art. Several physiology studies have shown that carrying a heavy load around the waist causes minimal deviations in gait of a subject when compared to a normal gait. Likewise back injuries are minimized by centering the load at the waist rather than the shoulders since compression of spinal discs is eliminated. Therefore, the ability to carry a ladder with the load centered on the waist of a workman presents a problem to be solved by those skilled in the art.
There have been many in the prior art who have attempted to solve these problems with varying degrees of success. None, however completely satisfies the requirements for a complete solution to the aforestated problem. The following U.S. Patents are attempts of the prior art to solve this problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,651,441 to Rau et al. discloses a shoulder-suspended carrier for plate-form building material adapted to be used by one of a pair of bearers to support one end of a heavy load in an upright plane leaning against the near side of the bearers' bodies with the bottom edge of the load substantially knee-high. Each bearer will have hands free for grasping the end and top edges of the load to steady the same. The carrier comprises a body harness including a pair of mutually cooperative primary suspension slings of loop form. One of the slings is adapted to embrace and hang directly leaning downward from the bearer's near shoulder and rest wall, so as to facilitate unloading or unloading of the carriers for transportation of a wall-board unit load in the manner depicted. The other sling is adapted to embrace the bearer's off shoulder and body and to extend diagonally across the body to a point of convergence with the first-mentioned sling alongside the near hip flank. A concentration member of ring form is fixedly connected to and supported by the diagonal off shoulder suspension sling at the point of convergence of both slings and having the near shoulder suspension sling threaded therethrough for free sliding adjustment. A retainer strap to prevent the near shoulder suspension sling from slipping off the shoulder. The retainer strap has its opposite ends engaged respectively with the front and rear reaches of the near shoulder suspension sling and is adapted to extend around the off side of the bearer's body. The retainer strap may be tightened and loosened in its body embracing grip by lengthwise manual adjustment of the near shoulder suspension sling through the concentration ring. The load-engaging means is supported by the concentration member.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,285,482 to Bedsaul, Sr. discloses an arcuate horizontally disposed bar having outwardly curved ends. An upper hook extends upwardly from the intermediate portion of the arcuate bar and is mounted in an inverted position. A horizontally disposed bar also extends from the intermediate portion of the arcuate bar, and an open hook is carried by the horizontally disposed bar depending from the outer end thereof and spaced from the arcuate bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,704 to Rosen discloses a support member adapted to be worn on a person's belt to assist in supporting bulky or heavy packages. The support member includes an upper roughened surface for supporting the package which surface is inclined upwardly in a direction away from the wearer's body. Extending downwardly from the inner portion of the supporting surface is a generally vertical member which includes therein a slotted portion suitable for engagement with the wearer's belt. Disposed below the slotted vertical member is a body engaging surface which bears against the person's body when a package is supported on the upper inclined surface of the support member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,889 to Carson discloses an apparatus for releasably mounting an auxiliary compressed air tank to a breathing apparatus of the type having a main compressed air tank. The apparatus includes a bracket having a pair of mounting legs connected in relatively closely spaced facing relation to one another defining a strap receiving area and means for clamping one of the mounting legs rigidly with the other mounting leg spaced outwardly therefrom. One of the mounting legs is selectively insertable and removable from a disposition between .the main compressed air tank and a securing strap of a harness which supports the main compressed air tank on a user. The harness strap is received in the strap receiving area and the strap is tightened to hold the auxiliary tank relative to the main tank. To release the auxiliary tank, the strap is loosened and the mounting leg is moved to clear the strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,830 to Hopkins et al. discloses a holder for implements such as a mortar board, which is to be horizontally positioned, knives, such as broad, spackle, and shear knives, which are to be positioned at an angle, and a roll of drywall tape, vertically positioned. The holder comprises a back plate to secure implements, and a second plate in which the implement holder is temporarily attached to the user, more specifically, the waist area of the user. The mortar board is inserted into the Y-shaped slots which are horizontally aligned to the back plate and are disposed in spaced relationship. The knives are inserted into the compression loaded slots having adjacent relationship and positioned at an angle from the back plate. The tape is inserted into the J-shaped hook which is spaced away from the back plate to allow for the tapes positioning and removal to and from the implement holder. The parts which comprise the implement holder are made from a rigid material, preferably aluminum. When the implements are engaged in their appropriate locations within the implement holder, both hands of the worker are free to conduct other operations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,707 to Reichert discloses a device used to assist a person in carrying heavy, bulky, box-like objects having essentially square corners. The device is attached to the person such as by attachment to a belt or pants or the like. The device is preferably of one piece construction having a vertical and horizontal portion. The vertical portion has a metal clip or the like for attachment to the person and a horizontal or shelf like portion extends outwardly at approximately 90 degrees from the vertical portion and has a 90 degree or “V” notch formed therein into which a corner of a box-like structure is placed for carrying and thereby limiting the load on the hands and arms of the person carrying the object.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,892 to Johns discloses a belt mounted tool hanger comprising a base member having a slot therein through and within which a portion of a workman's belt can be engaged and a hook which extends from a end edge of the base member, across same, and to a level above the height to which the base member extends.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,537 to Bowlsby discloses a bow holder which can attach to any hunter's waist either through belt loops or by tucking behind the belt or inside the waistband of the hunter's pants. The bow holder is built on a stabilizing plate which extends downward to support the holder against the hunter's leg. The bow rests on top of a generally horizontal base area, held from slipping sideways by a lip. The base is provided with a notch to receive the bow's stabilizer bar or a simple bolt screwed into the stabilizer bar fitting. The notch is preferably inclined to the vertical, such that the bow string is inclined inwardly toward the hunter's upper body, and the stabilizer bar or nocked arrow point is angled outwardly from the hunter's leg. The provision of a second angled notch on the opposite side of the base from the first notch allows the bow to be carried with its center of gravity either in front of or behind the holder which changes the angle of the bow axis from a tilted-forward “ready” position to a tilted-back “transport” position.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,449 to Kahn discloses a tool-toting device for carrying and retaining a hand tool comprising a clip, a swivel element and a U-shaped hook, the clip being capable of attachment to a belt, such as a tool belt. The swivel element is swivelably connected to the clip by conventional means, such as a semi-tubular rivet such that it freely swivels about a 360° axis, while the U-shaped hook is rotatably connected to the swivel element by means of a jam nut-acorn nut arrangement such that it is capable of rotating about a 360° axis. In this manner, a tool hanging from the U-shaped hook will swivel about the 360° axis, thereby maintaining its center of gravity as the user moves about a construction area. The user can re-position the hook for comfort and accessibility simply by rotating the hook about its axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,342 to Kahn discloses a tool belt tool tote device that is capable of carrying two tools independently, such as a cordless drill and a hammer. The double tool tote device comprises a C-shaped clip, a terminal swivel element and two hook elements. In use, a tool depending from each hook may freely swivel to maintain its center of gravity so that the tool will remain securely attached to the tool tote while remaining easily accessible to the user. In addition, each hook element is rotatably positionable to permit the user to independently position each tool in a comfortable fashion. The two hook elements also can be selectively positioned to retain one tool element across the breadth of the two hook elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,147 to Marks discloses a personal tool carrying device providing improvements in manufacture and appearance. A hook includes an integrally formed head end that is supported by ribs of a slot of a housing. A friction cap preferably surrounds the head end to hold the hook in a selected rotational position. The head end and friction cap are held in a cavity of the housing by a mounting element such as a belt clip. The housing swivels in relation to the mounting element. The device provides various surfaces for product identifying information.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,175,061 to Dohn discloses a hook-like carrier adapted for attachment to and support by the belt of a user including an attachment member having a pair of generally vertical, spaced slots which are adapted to receive the user's belt. Attached to an outer portion of the attachment member is a first element of a foldable hook. The first hook element is pivotally coupled to a second hook element such as by a first hinge and the second hook element is, in turn, pivotally coupled to a third hook element, such as by a second hinge. The hook elements are pivotally movable between a first folded configuration, such as when not in use, and a second extended configuration for engaging and supporting an article and maintaining the article securely in position in closely spaced relation to the user's waist.
United States Patent Application 2004/0178240 to Bauer discloses a simplified tool/accessory toting device facilitating the carrying and retention by an individual of a hand tool or other accessory having a loop for attaching the device to a belt. A rigid hook extends from the loop and has the ability to be shifted as the individual moves to maintain a good center of gravity for the accessory attached to the hook. Rigidity of the hook ensures the individual that the accessory can easily be placed on the toting device or to remove it with one hand. The hook can be placed in a comfortable manner so as to permit the individual to position the hook on a persons belt either on the right or left side.
United States Patent Application 2005/0205625 to House discloses a container support device including a first part configured to interact with a user's article of clothing and a second part configured to interact with and/or support a container. The first part interacts with the user's clothing and the second part interacts with and/or supports the container, at least a portion of the container's weight is supported by the user's clothing.
United States Patent Application 2006/0011681 to Raimondo et al. discloses a carrier support holder consisting of an integral, unitary member. The holder has a U-shaped component which is configured for placement over the belt or waistband of the user. A second, hook-shaped component extends outward for insertion into a slot, opening, or other convenient space underneath or on the side of an infant or similar carrier, and a third, curvilinear component is designed to be positioned against the user's waist.
United States Patent Application 2007/0125814 to Roh discloses a universal carrying device having a first substantially rectangular cover. A substantially rectangular carrier has an opening. A hinge attaches the first substantially rectangular cover to the first substantially rectangular carrier.
United States Patent Application 2012/2272242 to Panosian et al. discloses a wall organizing system including a generally elongate track. A member is provided for attaching the track to a wall or other substantially vertical surface. At least one attaching member is slidably and selectively movable along the track between opposing lateral ends of the track for attaching to an item to be secured to the wall or other surface.
United States Patent Application 2010/0206926 to Mekis discloses an invention comprising a detachable hook with load bearing surface, which can be utilized by movers of heavy items and boxes to comfortably shift the weight of the load from the movers arms and back to the mover's legs, resulting is much less fatigue and reduced risk of injury.
United States Patent Application 2011/0253757 to May, Jr. discloses a carrying aid that transfers weight from a load supported by shoulder straps, such as a backpack or portable tree stand, to the user's hip area. The carrying aid includes a weight supporting region and a fastener region. The weight supporting region forms a trough around a portion of the load that reduces the risk of the load from being dislodged from the weight supporting region. A fastener attaches the carrying aid to the user's belt. The carrying aid can be molded, shaped, or formed from a single piece of material such as a metal, plastic, or polycarbonate. The carrying aid is easy to attach and remove from the user's belt and the load is easily inserted and removed from the trough formed by the weight supporting region. The carrying aid is lightweight and easily stored when not in use. This carrying aid is particularly useful for deer hunters or nature enthusiasts carrying shoulder strap-supported portable tree stands.
Although the aforementioned prior art have contributed to the development of the art of securing an object to a support member, none of these prior art patents have solved the needs of this art.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for carrying a load and more specifically a ladder.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus that is simple for the operator to use.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.